MAKING A MELBA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16454, 16 June 1921, Page 9

MAKING A MELBA.

AYc are now in the thick of the concert season, and tickets are being, showered upon the musical critics in great profusion and variety. For this is the time when ambitious novices “co-mo out.” And. though the general belief is to the contrary, it is perfectly easy to conic out in London. The hard thing is to stay out. The method is very simple. Symptoms ol a voice aro discovered in some unoffending young girl. Her friends and relations aro of opinion that it would l>e a “ sin /’ not to have the voice trained, and “give the child a chance.” Very often the girl takes quite kindly to the idea. She thinks of success, fame, shouting crowds of enthusiasts, world tours —diamonds—columns in the newspapers—all the good things that are allotted to the triumphant diva. In tho meantime she slaves a wav at her training. London is full of able'and conscientious teachers of singing and voice production, and in very many cases they are capable of vastly improv-

ing their voices- Whether the voice is worth producing when it is trained is Hot their affair. A oice-training is their business. What would you have? At last the training is finished ; and the novice flutteringlv contemplates her debut. There is nothing easier in the world than to arrange such a debut. All the novice lias to do is to go to a concert agent, armed with a cheque extracted from daddy, and the concert agent will do the rest. \Yith daddy’s cheque once in his possession, the agent sets to work. It is his business to arrange these affairs. Il does not matter to him whether his client has the voice of a new Mel ha or one more suitable for the retail and alfresco sale of fish and vegetables. He. lias undertaken, lor a consideration, to bring her before the public. How she impresses the public when so brought before them is “ up to ” her. The whole thing now being in tbe u-gent’s able and nicely manicured hands, lie hires a suitable ball, inserts advertisements in the appropriate papers, sees to the printing 4 and distribution of bills, aud sends out complimentary tickets to the musical critics. Most critics at this season have a multiplicity of engagements, but the agent hopes for tbe best. Haring achieved all this, the agent’s work is done, and Ins reward is a mind conscious of having well and trulyearned daddy’s cheque. The issue is now in the. debutante’s hands—-or, rather, lier larynx. She has had her wish and “ come out.’’J AVhetlier she stays put. or has ignominiQusiy to go in again, is another story.—AUD.. in the* “Daily Mail.”